Save Atheneum!

SAVE ATHENEUM!

Academic Books/the SL Foundation has decided to close down Atheneum Books in Nørregade. The 4 booksellers have all been fired, and the closing date is set to October 16th 2015.

The Friends of Atheneum is a non-profit association founded by a group of dedicated booksellers, employees and volunteers, who work to raise start capital to

re-launch Atheneum as a modern, strong and independent specialist bookshop with a modern Nordic and international literary profile.
establish Atheneum as a social enterprise funded by the profit from the bookshop. The objective is to offer small-scale employment to unemployed or socially vulnerable groups through internships, career kickstart-programmes for university graduates, senior jobs, flex jobs, etc. We believe in the individual: in a bookshop, anybody with a story is a contributor.
create a lively and dynamic culture house, which puts books, learning and knowledge exchange on the social agenda by facilitating “The School of Life”-inspired projects, book-talks, philosophy salons and partnerships that contribute to knowledge exchange, popular education, personal and intellectual development.
make a cosy and welcoming atmosphere with a bookish lounge area that serves coffee, provides audio books and digital bookish paraphernalia in a relaxing atmosphere. This is as place where readers come to unplug, hand out, relax and immerse themselves in the wonderful world of literature.
promote an empathetic culture - a sharing-and-caring reading community characterized by openness to new ideas and curious mind-sets. Through open book-labs and as Atheneum Ambassadors, volunteers can pitch bookish ideas and participate in the modelling of Atheneum as that dynamic physical and digital space, where readers interact with each other and influence the type of activities in the bookshop through the voluntary capacity of The Friends of Atheneum. Atheneum is a bookshop shaped by readers for readers.

#why
The spirit of Atheneum is about learning, giving and sharing reading experiences. A Copenhagen without Atheneum is to us an intellectually and culturally poor capital city. Of course, Copenhagen should continue to have a high-quality bookshop with the academic profile that characterizes Atheneum.

#facts
In the ancient Rome, the Athenaeum was the cradle of knowledge and learning. Today, Atheneum is worth preserving because it is

the oldest bookshop in Copenhagen (1874), specialized in academic and rare international literature
a literary rallying point, where books meet readers, readers meet authors and thinkers, where minds are expanded, and where literature and knowledge is put into action
renowned for its attentive, clever, inspiring, knowledgeable and extremely competent booksellers
where you have your curiosity rekindled, where you come to look for a book out of the ordinary stock
a gateway to knowledge, which presents the “unknown unknown” – reading experiences you did not know existed
encourages a local knowledge and culture cluster through partnerships with Culture Nordic, Golden Days and other local cultural organizations
creates a dynamic reading community by hosting a series of cultural events that gathers like-minded readers
inspires intellectual endeavours and encourages cultural exchange
is more than a business, more than a job. Being a bookseller here is a mode of existence, an attitude and a lifestyle!

This is the bookish space and community we want to preserve, modernize and promote.

#finances
A couple of hundred thousand DKK will secure the rent for the first couple of months, keep Atheneum at its current premises with a very small selection of books on the shelves, a couple of employees, and a minimum of IT-equipment – one million DKK will make our wildest dreams come true! All donations will make a difference, but the crowdsourcing option opens up for donations such as IT gear/know-how, furniture, etc. Any contribution will be much appreciated and treasured.

Help us spread the word and raise funds and awareness to our cause.

Thank you!

Yours sincerely,
Anita, Hannah, Morten & Niels
The Board of The Friends of Atheneum